Apple’s Online Store Is Currently Offline For Updates

Natasha Lomas

Natasha is a reporter for TechCrunch, joining September 2012, based out of London. She arrives after a stint reviewing smartphones for CNET UK and, prior to that, more than five years covering business technology for silicon.com (now folded into TechRepublic.com). At silicon she focused on mobile and wireless, telecoms and networking, and IT skills issues, and has also freelanced... → Learn More

Friday, October 5th, 2012
silver-apple-logo

Apple’s online store went offline on Thursday evening — sporting the usual “We’ll be back. We’re busy updating the Apple Store for you and will be back soon” missive  (h/t to AllThingsD which spotted the store was AWOL). The store has been down for at least three hours.

Apple typically takes its online store offline ahead of new product launches, but with no Apple event officially scheduled, it’s not clear what the latest swathe of downtime relates to.

We recently reported an Apple investor’s claim that Cupertino plans to send out invites next week to an event that will unveil a smaller iPad — but the event itself is not apparently due to take place until October 17 so it’s a little early for Apple’s store to go offline to get ready to list an iPad mini.

Friday does mark the one-year anniversary of Apple founder Steve Jobs’ death — but the Apple homepage would seem a more fitting place for a tribute to Jobs.

Update: The Apple store is now back on line after several hours of downtime but it’s not immediately obvious what has been updated.

Update: The Apple homepage now carries a tribute video commemorating Steve Jobs’ life — followed by a note from CEO Tim Cook which includes the line: “Steve’s passing one year ago today was a sad and difficult time for all of us. I hope that today everyone will reflect on his extraordinary life and the many ways he made the world a better place.”


Company: Apple
Website: apple.com
Launch Date: April 1, 1976
IPO: NASDAQ:AAPL

Started by Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak, and Ronald Wayne, Apple has expanded from computers to consumer electronics over the last 30 years, officially changing their name from Apple Computer, Inc. to Apple, Inc. in January 2007. Among the key offerings from Apple’s product line are: Pro line laptops (MacBook Pro) and desktops (Mac Pro), consumer line laptops (MacBook Air) and desktops (iMac), servers (Xserve), Apple TV, the Mac OS X and Mac OS X Server operating systems, the iPod, the...

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